Mica-hol Ink Swirl Technique with Interference and Chameleon Micas on Black Tumbler -- OMG!

Recently I mixed up some "micahols" by combining mica powder with 99% isopropyl alcohol (video here: • Springtime Mica-hol In... ) and had wonderful results when I dropped them onto a white tumbler coated with epoxy resin. Then I wondered (and so did some other folks) what would happen if I mixed chameleon and interference micas in alcohol and dropped those onto a black cup coated with epoxy resin. And that's what you see in this video! It turned out spectacularly gorgeous (imo). Even the mica gods were nodding in approval.
Check out some of the items I've made, listed in my Etsy store:
www.etsy.com/shop/LuxindaSwirl
Materials used in this video*:
KS Liquid Stone Resin: bit.ly/2N4JX3i (Coupon Code "LuxSwirl" for 5% discount)
30-oz Skinny Straight Tumbler: makerflocrafts.com/collection...
Woodes Goodies ($5 off!): invi.tt/U8t3fXCd
Island Micas and More micas: islandmicasandmore.com/collec...
15ml bottles: amzn.to/3fA1qj2
99% isopropyl alcohol: amzn.to/39ROpht
Pipettes: amzn.to/2PpF74Y
Tumbler Turner: www.etsy.com/listing/79556284...
* As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
I love Swirls! Mostly swirls of color, but really any swirls at all - I think they add a beauty and grace to everything. So after I started making soap a few years ago, and needing some sort of biz name that didn't sound like everyone else's version of suds-r-us, I decided on Luxinda Swirl. Luxinda is a twist on my real name, and I quickly started putting swirls of color in all of my handmade soaps.
Now I'm branching out a bit, and I want to keep adding swirls to everything I do!
#micahols #micaswirltumbler #galaxytumbler #glittertumbler

[@joycepugh5347]

Just love watching your videos over & over again - love your wittiness & the refreshers

[@Luxinda]

Thank you so much!😊

[@joycepugh5347]

Love your videos & your witty way & miss you - but understand - just glad I can rewatch your videos & hope all is well with you ❤

[@Luxinda]

Thank you so much! Everything is great, and I appreciate the kind words 🥰

[@sandyhardman2268]

TY! Gonna try this. THIS EVENING. I know you posted a year ago, but man this really helps me! Again, thank you!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!!! Good luck - let me know how it goes!!

[@marcialefevre2067]

Wow! Stunning!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!

[@fawnnelson3369]

So beautiful! Thank you for sharing this.

[@Luxinda]

Thank you for watching!! I’m glad you liked it 😊

[@simplelifeofsusan]

Absolutely gorgeous!!!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!

[@djjohnson3726]

Glad to learn about the Mica-hol...

[@Luxinda]

Thank you! It's fun and easy - my kind of technique :)

[@wendybeers7603]

Love, love this cup. Absolutely beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

[@Luxinda]

Thanks!!

[@fglprussman827]

This is BEAUTIFUL

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!! 😊

[@carlaschlesinger5434]

Holy smokes! Absolutely beautiful!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!

[@connieholden5786]

MUST TRY THIS!! JUST GORGEOUS!!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!

[@joanbeck1214]

Absolutely gorgeous!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you! 😊

[@robinhanff4248]

Beautiful as always!!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!

[@pattyherdlick5010]

Love the colors and shimmer!

[@Luxinda]

Thanks!

[@annaspradlin4874]

Amazingly beautiful! I must try this! Thanks so much.

[@Luxinda]

Thanks!

[@rhodanorton6944]

BEAUTIFUL!!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!!

[@amyfoster7777]

Excellent!! I love it!! Unique and beautiful!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!

[@joycepugh5347]

Awesome - love that mica - so pretty

[@Luxinda]

Thanks!

[@jessicarenee6757]

Love ur work! Thank u for the tutorials and teaching us new stuff. ❤

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!

[@serenacarpenter4435]

That is absolutely stunning! I love watching all of your videos you do such great work

[@Luxinda]

Thank you very much!

[@ritabatten4689]

I am gonna have to try that. It is almost beyond words. Thank you so very much for sharing.

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!

[@MORNINGLORY10]

That’s gorgeous

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!!

[@RaesTurquoiseTurtle]

Yeah that's everything I expected it to be and more! Gorgeous!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you! I know what you mean; I expected a good result because ... chameleons on black! But I was still pleasantly surprised anyway. And it’s really easy - my favorite type of cup 🙄 🤣

[@Christine-rx8di]

Gorgeous!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you! 😊

[@amynobil2811]

I just discovered your channel and subscribed! This is AMAZING!!! It is soooo beautiful. Thanks for sharing this technique....can't wait to try!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you very much!!

[@lilaflohr602]

God that is GORGEOUS!!!! I cannot wait to try that myself. Love, love, love that!

[@Luxinda]

Thanks!! Definitely give it a try!

[@deneicetabachki7945]

Absolutely beautiful, great creativity always a joy & knowledgeable 🌻

[@Luxinda]

Thanks very much!

[@gourdhead22]

WOW 😍😍😍 that cup is gorgeous..

[@Luxinda]

Thank you very much!

[@AngieO68]

Oh my ❤ this is so beautiful. I found your page a few days ago and have been binge watching. Love how you explain. My favorite tumbler maker 🥰

[@Luxinda]

Aw, thank you so much!!! 😊

[@cathyrezba3132]

Very cool looking!!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!!😊😊

[@sanditubia5061]

I am seeing a lot of possibilities for this method. Thanks, once again, for always being willing to try new techniques, that save the rest of us time and money.

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!

[@katieprice4201]

Amazing!!!!! I love this.

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!

[@barbking2708]

Exceptionally awesome!🥤💕

[@Luxinda]

Thanks!!!

[@junedorning3281]

Absolutely beautiful

[@Luxinda]

Thanks!

[@lynnebizlyne436]

Oooooooh so gorgeous. I love the look the mica-hols give on the tumblers. I think those are my fav. Awesome finish! ❤

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!! 😊😊

[@Theresa914]

I sure am glad I found your channel. Great job with your videos, I’m trying to catch up on what you have done. Thank you.

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!! 😊🥰

[@SusanHCooper]

Your videos are great! You get to the point & don't drag on..Very thorough, easy to follow..THANKYOU!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you very much -- I appreciate that!😊

[@twistedreality1450]

That sparkle is unreal!!! The marabu wasnt even needed, this is stunning!!!!

[@Luxinda]

Thanks!

[@allijmccoy]

Really really pretty!!!!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!!

[@pattibleau622]

It’s beautiful!!!!

[@Luxinda]

Thanks!!

[@EllenfromSanDiego]

How galactic!

[@julianapeyravy2432]

Lovely!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!!😊😊

[@edithrobillard3667]

Cup is beautiful.

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!

[@DulcesCreations]

Wow it is beautiful looks galactic 🥰😍

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!!

[@Wickedkittin]

Awesome! Thanks for the easy tutorial :)

[@Luxinda]

Sure thing - thank you!😊

[@melonyrosario9618]

This is awesome 💙💙💙

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!

[@kimsmith8911]

Love it!

[@Luxinda]

Thanks!

[@melb3513]

Gorgeous

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!

[@laurie-lionessnotaewe5902]

Micas are so mesmerizing! You can never get too much of the brilliancy of those amazing powders! I wondered how I’ve missed this one. Anyway, I can’t wait to get started. I’m still studying and buying things a slower, just because I don’t to dump money into something I end up hating or have an allergy I can’t appease. That would be just how my luck rolls! Heck, if it weren’t for bad luck, my hickory butt(what I call my countrified self)wouldn’t have any at all!

[@Luxinda]

Micas are amazing!! I hear you on making sure it’ll work before plunging in - very wise!

[@ZsoCreative1NJ]

🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩Beautiful colors👍🏾

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!

[@Lynifer09]

gorgeous

[@Luxinda]

Thanks very much!

[@teresakoranda5585]

That was wonderful I will have to try that I love watching your videos

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!!

[@meekagal]

Love it 💕

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!!😊

[@customdesignsbydae2420]

GENIUS 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽!!!

[@Luxinda]

thanks!!

[@shannonblackman467]

LOVE. IT!!!!!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!! 😊😊

[@SaharrisIMVU]

All I can say is WOW! Beautiful seems like not a strong enough word for how that turned out.

[@Luxinda]

Thanks! It shouldn't have surprised me, because chameleon micas look amazing on black, but I was kinda stunned (in a good way) - LOL!

[@joycepugh5347]

i do re-watch your tutorials all the time - but this one I think it was more than a couple of tie lol - just like the golds & silver alcohol ink one you did - TYVM

[@Luxinda]

Thanks very much!!

[@elfriedeerickson7688]

Wondered what??? I wonder Northern Lights on an acrylic painting? Hmmm, have to go to my lab….

[@ItsACraftThingAlishaVirgillo]

Love this. I'm definitely going to try it. Do you know if this will work with 91% alcohol?

[@Luxinda]

Thanks!! I expect it will work fine with 91%.

[@AlmaJVara]

make a bigger hole on your dropper for the flakes to come out.

[@MDGlasspainter]

Oooohhh super galaxy

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!!😊

[@wtglb]

Just stunning!! How long do you let the resin cure before you can wrap & ship it?

[@Luxinda]

Thanks! I let cups sit for 3 days after the last coat of epoxy resin goes on, then wrap and ship.

[@cherylosburn3605]

Can you do this with all micas or just the kind you used (color changing)This is so awesome!!!

[@Luxinda]

Yes, any mica at all will give you color on the cup. And I did a cup recently which was regular (non-shifting/non-iridescent) mica on a white background. kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6Kkq62JrdmhftU

[@jessicajrollo]

This is beautiful! I wonder what it would look like with white ink included? Have you done that?

[@Luxinda]

Thanks! Not yet, but that’s a great idea!! I’ll add it to my list - thanks for the suggestion!

[@pjmackey8227]

Love this! Did I miss the explanation? Sorry if I did. What is interference micas?

[@Luxinda]

I don’t think I explained it in the video, and I’m not sure how well I’ll do here. Basically interference micas, shifting micas, chameleon micas, they all change color depending on the background they’re on and the angle you’re viewing. I believe the term “interference” refers to the light hitting the mica being reflected and refracted so you see a different color, so the light is interfered with by the way the mica was made, but I could be all wrong about that.

[@jenniferdrayer5156]

Gorgeous! Would this work with 91% alcohol?

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!! Yes, I’m sure that would be fine for the mica-hols 😊

[@miriambrigance2640]

I was just wondering , have you ever tried making micahols with glow mica powders, would that work , or would the alcohol take the glow ability away ?

[@Luxinda]

Hmmmm! No, I haven’t tried that (yet) - interesting idea!! I don’t think the alcohol would lessen the glow. We’ll have to find out! Thank you!!!

[@hantievandeventer3073]

What are the brand of the Micas that you used and the colors if you don't mind? I have a tumbler I would like to revive and it's got a black and purple lid so I think this could work brilliantly with it. OMG, I can't stop looking at it!!!!

[@Luxinda]

Thank you!! I can give you most of the mica names and sources, a couple aren’t available, but you can sub in anything else you want. Vivid Holo Teal & Island Shimmer Flash in Gold, both from IslandMicasandMore.com Then 4 from woodesgoodies.com Say Hey, Money for Nothing, End of the Line, and Rocket Man. And the last 2 were generic Interference green and interference purple micas. Hope this helps a little! You can really use any chameleon or color-shifting micas you have on hand - they will all look stunning on a black cup using this method 😊

[@hantievandeventer3073]

@@Luxinda Thank you so much. Can't wait to try it!!

[@wendyoliver2438]

So, these colors show up without a carrier ink? I know when I do my galaxy cups I have to use white in the epoxy to make the color show up. These just show up without it?

[@Luxinda]

Correct! It’s because these are color-shifting micas vs alcohol inks, and since color-shifting micas show up best on a black background, no white is needed. On the other hand, I did use white with these exact same micas once in this other video, in case you want to see how that looks: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jIOqkpSMac6VmbM

[@angelastatum2679]

Did you glitter the cup first? or did you put glitter in the resin?

[@Luxinda]

The only thing I mixed into the resin before I applied it onto the cup was some Marabu Rainbow alcohol ink: amzn.to/33GDtPY Then I dropped on the mica-hols

[@allijmccoy]

Hi again! I’m sorry that I keep bugging you with questions but I just loved this technique and the outcome. So I got all supplies, except for I already had micas that I’ve used 1time and only 2 colors. Point is, and really the question I have is can I used regular colors (the non chameleon/interference micas) I got mine off Amazon, I believe they are Peral or metallic but I think aren’t most micas either or both metallic/Pearl (hence the shimmering effect lol??!!) I made one up last night, the color, Blue Green, was from the set I got Brand “Sakura”. I swatched it and it came out really pretty but seemed to not dry. After 30 mins of it being on the note flash card, it seemed lumpy, so I swiped it and it “layer down” the color and gave it a smudged look. Either I used too much mica or alcohol or not enough of either one. Any thoughts and advice I’d greatly appreciate it!

[@Luxinda]

Yes, regular colors of mica are fine, especially on a white base where they will show up beautifully (that's like my Springtime Mica-hol cup in the other video you watched). If you do ever want to use color-shifting micas mixed in alcohol, you'll need a black base or the color shifting won't show up. I'm not sure about your next question with the specific mica brand. It should mix up in alcohol fine, not be lumpy. If it seems lumpy, you can add a little more alcohol and shake the bejeebers out of it before dropping it onto a resin tumbler. But the alcohol will just evaporate once dropped onto resin, and the mica will be left on the resin to move around a little while the tumbler is turning. I can't guarantee it'll work okay because I don't know that brand specifically. But most mica behaves pretty much the same, and if it's mixed into the alcohol well, then dropped onto a freshly resin-ed tumbler, it should work. Unfortunately, you won't really know for sure until you try, but it *should* work. 🤞 Let me know what happens.

[@allijmccoy]

@@Luxinda thank you so so SO much for the advice and details!! So I forgot to mention that I didn’t put it in a tumbler but a piece of paper and I didn’t put enough alcohol as I rewatched and wrote it all down and compared with my original “guesstimates”- I was about 2 pipettes short of what I should of done. Now-😃 I’m onto to make the other colors and put on a tumbler! What about the other coats-if any? I figured I should ask since I’ve not officially completed a tumbler. I’ve got one that I started weeks ago and finally did an ombré. Then thought I’d get fancy and added a stenciled butterfly via tack it and an Opal, which turned out fine. It just needs 2 more coats but I always make more resin then needed so I thought I could use my new secret sauce I just got in!! 😉 rainbow sparkle is always the best!! Just to clarify, for the mica-hols, do I need to coat it with more layers of resin after dropping the mica-hold o to the cup? TYIA!! Thx for helping!!!

[@Luxinda]

@@allijmccoy Once you drop the mica-hols on the tumbler, you don't need to do anything else until the tumbler is completely dry to the touch the next day. After the tumbler dries, then, yes, you would put on a final coat or two of resin to seal everything in. Hope that answers your question, and good luck!! 😊

[@allijmccoy]

@@Luxinda thank you so much!! 🌸🦋👍

[@jankimpton7832]

How much alcohol into each little bottle?

[@Luxinda]

Thanks for the question! I go into much more detail of how and how much in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZuQop-hnbF1rNE

[@jiminlover8212]

What does interference mean?

[@Luxinda]

My understanding of interference micas is that they interfere with the light, which is why they color shift depending on how the light hits them. However, I’m not an expert on that, so it’s possible that chameleon micas, interference micas, and color-shift micas are all describing the same thing. The person to ask would be Sam Gonzalez who owns Island Micas & More. I’ll shoot her a question about it and put her answer here when I hear back from her. Thank you!

[@Luxinda]

Ok, I pm’d Sam and she said interference micas start out looking white but with a slight color undertone or sheen. If you put a red interference mica, for instance, on a white background, it looks pearly white with a red or pinkish sheen. If you put it on black, then it pops red. So in this video, I used 2 interference micas, a green and a pink. The rest of the micas in this video were chameleon micas and they tend to shift between multiple colors on a black background, like from teal to green to gold. I hope this helps a little. Thanks!

[@jiminlover8212]

@@Luxinda thank you. I need to get me some of those. That cup is stunning.

[@WESTVIRGINIAOUTSIDER]

what happens if you use a white base ?

[@Luxinda]

It will be pretty and shimmery, but the color-shifting and brightness of the micas only show up on dark surfaces, so a white-based version would be much more subdued. Great question - thank you!

[@Luxinda]

I actually did a black base vs white base version awhile back with some different micas, but it should give you a better idea of the difference the base color makes. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3esm2ScZqqLaJY

[@WESTVIRGINIAOUTSIDER]

im leaning toward the white base just me very beautiful tumbler though

[@Luxinda]

@@WESTVIRGINIAOUTSIDER thank you!!! Hey, shout out from Harpers Ferry area of WV 😁👋

[@WESTVIRGINIAOUTSIDER]

@@Luxinda harpers fairy id heard of there what part of wv that from ?

[@lilaflohr602]

❤💛💚💙💜🌈🌠